Hoosier scientist helped create FDA

August 23, 2006

The man known as the "Father of the FDA'' was a Hoosier and a Purdue University chemist. Harvey Washington Wiley is being remembered this year, which marks the 100th anniversary of the Food and Drug Administration. He's best known for championing passage of the law creating the FDA, which was enacted in 1906. Wiley was born in Kent, Ind., in 1844. He graduated from Hanover College and taught at Northwestern Christian University, today known as Butler University. Wiley conducted pioneering research in the areas of food adulteration and sugar substitutes. The postage stamp shown here was issued in 1956 to mark the 50th anniversary of the FDA.